Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of this work of fiction, and no profit, monetary or otherwise, is being made through the writing of this.

A/N: Written after a conversation with a friend. Fulfilling Cotton Candy Bingo prompt - Haven't Realized How Much They Love Each Other Yet, and Trope Bingo prompt - Immortality/Reincarnation.

Grace frowned at her father, and grasped the wriggling bundle closer to her chest. She squared her jaw, and stood her ground. "Danno, we have to help it. It's injured."

It was the trembling lower lip, combined with the plaintive tone, which had Danny uncrossing his arms and internally groaning. He caved. "Fine, but we're taking it straight to the Humane Society."

Grace sighed and tilted her head to the side, rearranging the feline in her arms – which was wrapped in a towel – and giving it a slight smile, before turning a less than happy look at her father. "But, Danno…we have to make sure it's alright first."

"Grace, honey, I love that you've got a good, kind heart, but…" Danny lifted his hands as he spoke, and he fashioned a heart between them, let his hands fall down to his sides when his daughter sighed again. "Honey, it could have diseases. I – "

"Danno, it's shivering, and I think its paw might be broken." Grace completely ignored her father. She closed the gap between them, and shoved the small, furry bundle up into his face. "See, he's in pain, Danno."

Danny didn't want to look at the creature his daughter had – even after he'd told her explicitly not to – picked up off the side of the trail they'd been walking along. It was an easy, almost meandering walk, unlike the hikes that Steve often took them on that had Danny's knee twitching, and his lungs burning by the end of the hike.

Danny had, mistakenly, thought that this was going to be a nice, trouble-free walk. He should have known that things wouldn't go the way that he'd planned. Should've known that they'd go south, because the sun was shining, there was a nice, gentle breeze blowing, and it was a truly beautiful day.

On a whim, or so it had seemed at the time, Kono had invited Danny and Grace to join her and Chin for an afternoon at Waimea Falls. She'd walked ahead of Danny and Grace in search of her wayward cousin who was supposed to meet them a half an hour ago. Chin was a no-show, and now Danny had the sinking feeling that he was going to become a new pet parent if the full-on puppy dog look on his daughter's face was anything to go by.

"Danno," Grace said on a sigh.

She jiggled the cat in front of his face, and Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt the pressure of a headache starting to form behind his eyes. It might have started off as a bright, sunshiny day, but it was quickly becoming a day that was slowly descending into a hellish nightmare.

Danny glanced down at the cat Grace had picked up, in spite of his admonitions for her not to touch it. She'd at least used one of the towels they'd brought along – visitors were allowed to swim at the base of the waterfall, as well as to jump from the top of the waterfall (something which Grace was not going to do – no amount of pleading, or puppy dog eyes, or trembling bottom lips would sway him) – to wrap the cat in.

At first glance, all that Danny could see were the cat's dark, brown eyes, which were, if he knew anything about cats (and he really didn't) a bit unusual. They seemed to draw him in, almost like he was looking into the very soul of the cat, and it was begging him to take care of it. Danny had to blink, and take a step away.

"Danno?" Grace's voice was soft, uncertain. "What's wrong?"

Danny shook his head, trying to clear it of the image of the cat's odd eyes. "Nothing, monkey. It's okay. Why don't you give the cat to me, monkey?"

Danny wiggled his fingers, and tried to smile at his daughter, to reassure her that things really were okay, though there was a sense of dread beginning to fill the pit of his stomach. There was something very wrong, but Danny couldn't pinpoint what it was. His skin tingled, and he knew in his gut that there was a mystery to be solved, and his precious little girl was holding it in her arms.